Fluid pressure operated dispenser for viscous products



Get. 25, 1966 $TE|NER 3,281,020

FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED DISPENSER FOR VISCOUS PRODUCTS Filed April 5. 1965 all ,6

United States Patent 3 281 020 FLUID PRESSURE ORERKTED DISPENSER FUR VISCDUS PRQDUCTS Harold Karl Steiner, 3015 S. Herman St, Milwaukee, WIS. Filed Apr. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 445,443 14 Claims. (Cl. 222162) This invention relates to dispensers, and has more particular reference to a device capable of dispensing a viscous or semi-liquid product.

One such product for which the dispenser of this invention is ideally suited, is known as thread-line or epoxy mortar, which is comprised of an epoxy-type cement admixed with liquid latex and masonry cement.

My copending application Serial No. 323,330, filed November 13, 1963, now Patent No. 3,217,932, and entitled Dispenser for Liquid and Semi-Liquid Materials, discloses an apparatus which satisfactorily dispenses epoxy mortar as well as other types of viscous liquid and semiliquid materials. However, since that apparatus was designed to be held and carried about by an operator using it, its capacity was more or less limited and it accordingly had to be frequently recharged with mortar.

The present invention has as its purpose to provide a dispenser of the character described which not only has substantially greater capacity, but which is constructed to provide for dispensing of epoxy mortar or similar semiliquid products, such as caulking compounds, directly from the gallon buckets in which such products are sold to the trade. This, of course, eliminates the tedious task of transferring the mortar or caulking compound from its original container to another in the dispenser each time the latter needs recharging.

More specifically, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a dispenser of the character described wherein replacement of an emptied 5 gallon container of the dispensed product by a full container can be quickly and simply elfected without dismantling any of the components of the dispenser.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, of a dispenser embodying this invention, showing the relative positions of its components prior to actual dispensing of the product;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the relative positions of the components after nearly all of the product has been dispensed from its container; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view at a reduced scale, showing how a hinged cover on the dispenser can be swung open to facilitate replacement of an empty product container by a full container.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 5 generally designates the base of the dispenser of this invention. The base can comprise a pair of skids or runners 6 carrying wheels 7 at one end to facilitate movement of the dispenser from one area of use to another. An upright cup-shaped cylinder 8 mounted on the base has a cup-like piston 9 slidably received therein for up and doWn motion. The cup-like piston 9 is of a size to closely accommodate a conventional 5 gallon bucket or container 10 of the type in which various semiliquid products, including epoxy mortar and caulking compounds, are made available to the trade. Buckets of this nature have a recessed flat bottom wall 11, and a straight cylindrical side wall 12 which terminates in an outwardly curled bead 13 at the open end of the container. In most instances, such buckets are formed with an outwardly deformed side wall portion defining a shallow V-shaped groove 14 which opens toward the interior of the bucket, adjacent to its top.

The bucket can be nested within the cup-like piston 9, where it can be supportingly seated upon the bottom wall or head 15 of the piston, and will have its side wall 12 closely encircled by the straight cylindrical skirt or side wall 16 of the piston. The skirt 16 on the piston can extend a distance below the head 15, as shown, so as to have engagement with the outwardly convex bottom 17 of the cylinder 8 and thereby define the lowermost position of the piston in the cylinder. The upper end of the skirt 16 on the piston terminates just below the outwardly deformed groove defining wall portion of the upper end of the bucket.

The side wall 18 of the cylinder 8 is also straight and cylindrical, and it extends upwardly from the bottom 17 of the cylinder to terminate at a level near or slightly above the top of the skirt on the piston when the latter is in its lowermost position seen in FIGURE 1. The side wall 18 of the cylinder is preferably slightly larger in diameter than the skirt on the piston, and a ring 19 fixed to the inner surface of the cylinder side wall near its top surrounds the piston skirt and holds the piston in spaced concentric relation to the cylinder. An O-ring seal 20 confined in a groove in the ring 19 opening inwardly toward the piston skirt provides a sliding fluid tight joint between the piston and cylinder.

When the interior of the cylinder 8 is pressurized, fluid pressure forces acting upon the piston 9 therein drive the same upwardly to elevate the bucket 10 containing the product to be dispensed. While several ways of eflecting such pressurization of the cylinder will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, one simple expedient is to connect an air pressure hose (not shown) with a nipple 22 afllxed to the side wall 18 of the cylinder and opening to its interior.

The dispenser of this invention further includes an inverted cup-shaped cover section 24 which is normally rigidly held above and coaxial with the open upper end of the cylinder 8, and a pressure disc 25 fixed on the cover section and over the periphery of which the product container 10 slides during pressure produced elevation of the piston 9, to effect expulsion of the product from the bucket through a product delivery port 26 in the disc.

Diametrically opposite arms 27 fixed to the exterior of the cover section project downwardly therefrom, beyond the open bottom of the cover section and toward the upper ends of similar diametrically opposite arms 28 fixed to the exterior of the cylinder and extending upwardly therefrom beyond its open top. A hinge pin 29 passing through the adjacent ends of the arms 2728 at one side of the dispenser cooperates with a removable latch pin 30 passing through the adjacent ends of the arms 27-28 at the opposite side of the dispenser to firmly hold the cover section and the pressure disc 25 thereon in their operative positions seen in FIGURE 1 and 2. When. the latch pin is removed, however, the cover section can be swung out of its operative position to the inoperative position seen in FIGURE 3, to one side of the top of the cylinder, to enable the bucket 10 to be loaded into the piston 9 or to be removed therefrom after the product has been dispensed from the bucket.

The hinge pin 29, of course, is disposed on a horizontal axis, crosswise of the axis of the cylinder and to one side thereof at a level slightly above the top of the cylinder, and near the level of the pressure disc when the cover is in its operative position over the cylinder. 7

A handle 31 fixed to one side of the cover section near its top facilitates swinging the cover from its operative position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, to its inoperative position seen in FIGURE 3, which can be defined by the engagement of a stop 32 on the hinge arm 27 with the outer side of the cylinder carried hinge arm 28. As seen in FIGURE 3, the cover section is disposed with its axis substantially horizontal when in its inoperative position.

From the description thus far, it will be apparent that after removal of its cover, a bucket full of the viscous product to be dispensed can be loaded into the piston 9 when the cover section 24 is swung open. Then the cover section can be swung to and latched in its operative position above the cylinder and piston. This disposes the pressure disc 25 directly above the open top of the bucket in the piston, so that it will enter the bucket during pressure produced elevation of the piston to cause the product to be expelled through the delivery port 26 in the pressure disc. An O-ring seal 33 is preferably confined in a peripheral groove in the pressure disc to prevent bypass flow of the product around the edge of the disc as the piston is elevated.

The product thus expelled through the delivery port 26 enters a delivery duct or pipe 34 having its lower end fixed to the pressure disc and in communication with the delivery port, and its upper portion passing through but fixed to the top wall 35 of the cover section. A hose line, not shown, can be connected to the delivery pipe, and if desired, an outlet valve 36 can be incorporated in the delivery pipe to control dispensing flow of product therethrough.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the delivery pipe can be connected by a hose line with a manually controllable gun type valve, such as disclosed in my aforesaid copending application Serial No. 323,330, filed November 13, 1963, now Patent No. 3,217,932, and having a suitable nozzle through which the product issues for application as desired.

During elevation of the piston to elfect dispensing of the product from the bucket 10, the upper portions of the bucket will rise with the piston and enter the interior of the cover section 24. Hence, in order to enable the bucket to be completely emptied of the product therein, the cover section should be deep enough to enable the bottom of the bucket to come to rest against the underside of the pressure disc 25 before the top of the bucket collides with the top wall 35 of the cover section.

When the bucket reaches this upper limit of motion at which it is emptied of its contents, it and the piston in which it is nested can be returned to their lowermost positions by venting the port 22, and supplying pressure fluid to the interior of the bucket through a back-off pipe 37 extending down through the top 35 of the cover section and having its lower end fixed to the pressure disc 25 in communication with a port 38 therein. This port opens to the underside of the pressure disc through a normally closed flap type check valve 39, which allows pressure fluid such as compressed air to enter the interior of the bucket but prevents the product therein from being expelled through the back-01f pipe during dispensing of the product from the bucket.

In the event the bucket is filled with product to a level above the inwardly opening V-shaped groove 14 adjacent to its top, some of the product may tend to bypass the pressure disc 25 at the start of dispensing. This tendency can be readily overcome by inserting a short sleeve 40 of thin metal down into the top of the bucket, to cover the inwardly opening groove 14 in the side wall of the bucket. This sleeve has an outwardly rolled edge or rim 41 at its top, and its wall has an out- A. side diameter closely corresponding to the inside diameter of the bucket. The axial length of the sleeve, of course, need only be great enough to extend down past the groove 14 when its rim 41 is seated upon the bead 13 encircling the open top of the bucket.

If desired, a spacer disc 42 of a size to fill the recess in the underside of the product container or bucket 10 may be secured to the upper surface of the head 15 of the piston 9, to assure uniform application of pressure to the entire bottom wall of the bucket.

One of the features of the dispenser of this invention is that the skirt 16 on the piston 9 acts as a reinforcing jacket for the side wall of the bucket nested within the piston, and that it can serve this reinforcing function without necessarily having excessive thickness for strength. This follows from the fact that the force which pressure fluid in the cylinder exerts upon the head 15 of the piston to elevate the same, is also exerted on the exterior of the piston skirt to prevent the same from expanding under the pressures generated in the interior of the bucket during expulsion of product therefrom. In fact, the pressure in the interior of the bucket tending to expand or even rupture its side wall Will be opposed by a substantially equal force transmitted to the exterior of the bucket side wall by the skirt on the piston as long as the interior of the cylinder is pressurized.

From this it will also be seen that there will be no tendency for the piston skirt to expand in a manner that could easily cause binding and jamming thereof as it rises in consequence of pressurization of the cylinder.

From the foregoing description, together with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that this invention provides a dispenser for a viscous but flowable product which is unique in that it enables the product to be dispensed directly from the container in which it is packaged.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. In a device for dispensing a viscous semi-liquid product from a container having one open end and a substantially straight cylindrical side wall:

(A) means defining a piston having a head adapted for force transmitting engagement with the bottom of a product container, and having a cylindrical skirt extending in one axial direction from the head and adapted to provide an encircling reinforcement for the side wall of a product container having its bottom engaged with the head;

(B) means defining a cylinder closed at one end and open at its other end, said piston being reciprocably received in the cylinder, with its skirt extending toward the open end of the cylinder, for advancing movement away from the closed end of the cylinder in consequence of pressurization of the interior of the cylinder;

(C) a piston-like disc of a diameter to have sliding engagement with the inner side wall surfaces of a product container in position in said piston, said disc having a hole therethrough; and

(D) means on the cylinder rigidly holding said disc coaxially of the cylinder adjacent to the open end thereof, in position to enter the interior of a product container within the piston in consequence of pressure produced advancement of the piston, to cause the product in the container to be expelled through said hole in the disc.

2. The dispensing device of claim 1, further characterized by a valved product delivery duct having one end fixed with respect to said disc and in communication with the hole therein.

3. The dispensing device of claim 1, further characterized by the following:

(A) means on the cylinder providing an inlet port through which pressure fluid can be admitted to the interior of the cylinder;

(B) means defining an inlet duct having its mouth opening through said disc, and by which pressure fluid can be admitted into the interior of the piston to retract the same; and

(C) a normally closed check valve at the mouth of said inlet duct, arranged to open in consequence of connection of said inlet duct with a source of fluid under pressure.

4. The dispensing device of claim 1, further characterized by the following:

(A) that the piston skirt is spaced radially from the surrounding wall of the cylinder;

(B) that a ring on the interior of the cylinder adjacent to its open end holds the piston skirt in spaced concentric relation to the surrounding wall of the cylinder; and

(C) that an annular sealing member is interposed between the inside of the ring and the exterior of the piston skirt to provide a sliding sealed joint between the cylinder and piston remote from its head, and whereby the pressure by which advance of the piston is effected obtains in the space between the cylinder and piston skirt to inhibit expansion of the skirt under the internal pressure created incidentally to expulsion of the product from the container encircled by the skirt.

5. In a device for dispensing a viscous semi-liquid product from a container having one open end and a substantially straight cylindrical side wall, the combination of:

(A) means defining a cup-shaped piston having a bottom to support the product container with its open end uppermost, and having a cylindrical side wall to closely surround the side wall of the product container;

(B) means defining an upright cylinder being closed at its bottom and open at its top;

(C) means for effecting pressurization of the interior of the cylinder to cause the piston to be driven upwardly therein;

(D) a disc of a diameter substantially corresponding to the internal diameter of a product container in place within the piston, said disc having a product delivery port therein; and

(E) means on the cylinder rigidly supporting the disc in a position adjacent to and coaxial with the upper end of the piston, for entry into a product container therein during elevation of the piston, to thereby cause the product to be expelled through said delivery port in the disc.

6. The dispensing device of claim 5, wherein said disc supporting means mounts the disc for movement away from the upper end of the piston and toward an inoperative position providing for insertion into or removal of a product container from the interior of the piston.

7. In a .device for dispensing a viscous semi-liquid product from a container having one open end and a substantial-1y staight cylindrical side wall:

(A) a cupsh-aped c'linder;

(B) a cup-shaped piston slidable up and down in the cylinder and in which a container from which product is to be dispensed may be nested with its open end uppermost, said piston having an elongated upwardly extending cylindrical side wall to closely embrace a container nested in the piston and afford reinforcement for the side wall of the container encircled thereby;

(C) an inverted cup-shaped cover of a diameter substantially corresponding to that of the cylinder;

(D) means hingedly connecting the cover to the cylinder for swinging motion of the cover about an axis crosswise of the cylinder axis and to one side of the cylinder, from an operating position coaxial with and above the cylinder, to an inoperative position alongside the open top of the cylinder;

(E) cooperating means on the cylinder and the cover for releasably latching the cover in its operative position;

(F) means for effecting pressurization of the cylinder so as to cause the piston and a container therein to be driven upwardly of the cylinder and into the cover, toward the underside thereof;

(G) a pressure disc rigidly carried by the cover and occupying a position coaxially above and adjacent to the open upper end of the piston in the operative position of the cover, said disc having a product delivery port therein and being of a size to fit and enter the open end of a container nested in the piston during elevation thereof in the cylinder to cause the product in the container to be expelled through said delivery port in the disc; and

(H) a delivery duct having one end fixed with respect to said disc and in communication with the delivery port therein.

8. The dispensing device of claim 7, wherein the side walls of the piston and cylinder are in spaced concentric relation; and wherein annular seal means on the inner surface of the cylinder side wall, adjacent to its top, encircles and slidingly engages the side wall of the piston to guide the piston .and provide a fluid tight joint between the piston and cylinder while allowing pressure fluid within the cylinder to act upon that portion of the piston side wall which is below the seal means in a manner to offset any tendency for the piston side wall to expand under product expelling forces generated inside a container nested within the piston.

9. The dispensing device of claim 8, further characterized by:

(A) means for venting the interior of the cylinder to allow retraction of the piston therein;

(B) means to supply fluid under pressure to a container nested Within the piston, comprising a tube connected at one end with the pressure disc and opening to its underside; and

(C) a check valve governing flow of pressure fluid through said tube, said check valve being normally closed and adapted to open upon connection of the tube with a source of fluid under pressure.

10. In combination with a bucket of the type having a bottom, an open top, substantially straight cylindrical side walls, and a viscous sen1i-liquid product in the bucket, means for dispensing said product, comprising:

(A) a cup-shaped mernber having a bottom wall to support the bucket, and a straight cylindrical side wall closely encircling the side of :the bucket and extending upwardly to near the top thereof, said cup-shaped member providing a piston;

(B) an upright cylinder in which the piston is vertically slidably received, said cylinder being closed at its bottom and open at its top to enable the side wall of the piston to travel therethrough during elevation of the piston in consequence of the 'force which fluid pressure in the cylinder exerts thereon;

(C) a pressure disc having a product delivery port therein, and of a diameter to slidably fit the interior of the product container;

(D) means carried by the cylinder rigidly supporting the disc in coaxial relation to the top of the product container and at an elevation such that elevation of the piston effects sliding of the side wall of the product container over the periphery of the disc to cause the product to be expelled from the delivery port therein; and

(E) means on the cylinder providing for pressurizing its interior.

11. The combination of claim 10, further characterized by the following:

(A) that said last named means comprises a port on the cylinder adapted for connection with a pressure fluid source, and providing a vent when disconnected from the pressure flruid source;

(B) a pressure fluid supply port in said disc, through which pressure fluid may be delivered into the interior of the container to effect retraction of the piston at times when the cylinder is vented through said port thereof; and

(C) check valve means normally closing said pressure fluid supply port in the disc, and adapted to open upon connection of the pressure fluid supply port with a source of fluid under pressure.

12. The combination of claim 10, wherein the side Wall of the bucket has an outwardly offset portion adjacent to its top providing an annular groove which opens toward the interior of the bucket; and 'further characterized by a thin cylindrical liner removably received in the upper end portion of the bucket, said liner having an outwardly directed head at its top engaging the top of the bucket to support the liner thereon, and having a cylindrical skirt which is contiguous to the inner surface of the bucket side wall and extends downwardly from the bead beyond the groove in the side wall of the bucket to cover said groove and provide in effect a continuation of the straight side wall of the bucket.

13. In a device for dispensing a viscous semi-liquid product from a container having a substantially straight cylindrical side wall the upper edge of which defines the open top of the container:

(A) a close fitting cup-shaped holder for the product container, said holder having a straight cylindrical side wall;

(B) means mounting the holder for vertical translatory movement, comprising a cylinder closed at its bottom and open at its top, and having a straight cy- 8 lindr-i-oal side wall in surrounding concentric relation to the side wall of the holder;

(C) said holder providing a piston which is movable from a position in the bottom the cylinder upwardly a distance substantially corresponding to the height of the product container in response to pressure of fluid in the bottom portion of the cylinder;

(D) a pressure disc having a product delivery port therein and having a diameter slightly less thanthe internal diameter of the holder so as to substantially fit the inside of a product container in the holder;

(E) means carried by the cylinder rigidly supporting the disc in a position above and in coaxial relation to the holder so that the disc will enter the top of a product container therein upon pressure produced elevation of the holder to cause product in the continer to be expelled therefrom through the delivery port in the disc; and

(F) a delivery duct connecting with said delivery port.

'14. The dispensing device of claim 13, wherein said disc supporting means comprises structure for releasably latching the disc against movement out of said position, and providing for movement of the disc to a second positi'on-to one side of the cylinder when the disc is released.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/ 1931 Pedrick 222--162 10/1931 Jackson et -al 222l62 X 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR DISPENSING A VISCOUS SEMI-LIQUID PRODUCT FROM A CONTAINER HAVING ONE OPEN END AND A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL: (A) MEANS DEFINING A PISTON HAVING A HEAD ADAPTED FOR FORCE TRANSMITTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BOTTOM OF A PRODUCT CONTAINER, AND HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SKIRT EXTENDING IN ONE AXIAL DIRECTION FROM THE HEAD AND ADAPTED TO PROVIDE AN ENCIRCLING REINFORCEMENT FOR THE SIDE WALL OF A PRODUCT CONTAINER HAVING ITS BOTTOM ENGAGED WITH THE HEAD; (B) MEANS DEFINING A CYLINDER CLOSED AT ONE END AND OPEN AT ITS OTHER END, SAID PISTON BEING RECIPROCABLY RECEIVED IN THE CYLINDER, WITH ITS SKIRT EXTENDING TOWARD THE OPEN END OF THE CYLINDER, FOR ADVANCING MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE CLOSED END OF THE CYLINDER IN CONSEQUENCE OF PRESSURIZATION OF THE INTERIOR OF THE CYLINDER; (C) A PISTON-LIKE DISC OF A DIAMETER TO HAVE SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INNER SIDE WALL SURFACES OF A PRODUCT CONTAINER IN POSITION IN SAID PISTON, SAID DISC HAVING A HOLE THERETHROUGH; AND (D) MEANS ON THE CYLINDER RIGIDLY HOLDING SAID DISC COAXIALLY OF THE CYLINDER ADJACENT TO THE OPEN END THEREOF, IN POSITION TO ENTER THE INTERIOR OF A PRODUCT CONTAINER WITHIN THE PISTON IN CONSEQUENCE OF PRESSURE PRODUCED ADVANCEMENT OF THE PISTON, TO CAUSE THE PRODUCTS IN THE CONTAINER TO BE EXPELLED THROUGH SAID HOLE IN THE DISC. 